Zanieczyszczenia gleb i wód produktami ropopochodnymi mogą być niwelowane przez żywe organizmy. Do rozkładu i przekształcania szkodliwych dla środowiska związków chemicznych, m.in. węglowodorów i metali ciężkich, czyli bioremediacji, wykorzystuje się przede wszystkim bakterie, ze względu na dużą liczebność ich populacji i szybki wzrost. Autorka omawia zagadnienie na przykładzie organizmów zimnolubnych
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Soil and water contamination with petroleum products can be removed by the use of microorganisms. Bacteria are used for degradation and transformation of chemicals harmful to the environment, e.g. hydrocarbons and heavy metals (bioremediation) due to high population size and fast growth. The author discusses this issue using psychrophyle organisms as an example
The main role that cold-adapted microorganisms can play at low temperature is biodegradation of organic matter. Some of these microorganisms are pathogenic for plants and animals. Cold-adapted microorganisms cause many problems in the storage of food products. They are also attractive biocatalysts for many biotechnological purposes, because of high activity at low temperatures and increased thermolability. The mechanism of thermal adaptation is insufficiently recognised. The most common adaptations of cold-adapted microorganisms are: elevated flexibility of their molecules, fatty acid composition of membrane lipids, protein conformation and functioning of enzymes. Undoubtedly, better knowledge on the physiology and genetics of cold-adapted microorganisms could be useful for enhancing their metabolic activity in natural environments or in the industry.